Posts by frankCandio:
Why Video White Papers Should Be Part of Your Content Library
January 30th, 2012Prospects are hungry for information. White papers have been used to feed these prospects, and marketers have found that white papers are a very valuable tool to get information in front of their buyers. Today, white papers are also becoming an important tool used in successful video marketing.
The questions to ask about video white papers are what and when. What information is typically produced and when should that information be provided to prospects?
The information produced in a white paper is typically technical information or information about business problems or use cases. Generally, white papers are made available in the buyers search process before they engage with a sales rep. Buyers in this stage are out on websites downloading white papers as they establish their criteria for solving their problem. This is really the beginning of the journey with prospects and that’s why it is so important for many marketers to use white papers.
The common medium for white papers has been PDFs and although they have been effectively used in the past, there are a few key drawbacks. The first is a content issue. Marketing needs access to domain knowledge in order to create a white paper. The time involved in sitting down to write a 5-10 page white paper is extensive and is further complicated by the fact that marketing needs to go outside the department, to a technical person, an executive, or another person with subject matter expertise, for help. That means obtaining their commitment, getting on their calendar, and conducting one or more interviews. Once that is done, there is still time to be spent writing the white paper, putting it in the right voice, etc. So, access to and creation of content is a big challenge with a PDF-based white paper.
The second problem is one of accountability. You may always be able to tell that a prospect has downloaded a white paper, but it is hard to carry that any further. You won’t necessarily know if it has been consumed, if someone opened it up and read the first two lines or if they read the entire document.
Finally, there is a problem of differentiation. If a prospect has downloaded a white paper from your website, chances are that they’ve also downloaded six PDF white papers from all your major competitors which they may or may not have read.
At Sales Engine International, we believe that video is a highly effective yet underused medium for white papers. Video marketing techniques can give your white papers an edge over traditional PDFs.
First of all, the personality of the organization and the presenter will come through in a video white paper. Rather than reading a static document, the prospect will get a feel for the company and the subject matter expertise within your company by watching your expert talk about a subject in which he or she is highly knowledgeable.
Second, the visual aspect of video marketing is also much better for engagement. You can keep your prospects interest for a much longer time frame with video than with a written document.
Third, video marketing and video white papers clearly create differentiation from the stack of PDFs that are sitting on your prospects desktop. You’ve chosen to present your information in a dynamic video format, and they are doing it in a static PDF — clear differentiation in your product.
Fourth, and very important to marketers everywhere, is measurement. Video marketing presents marketers with greater opportunities to gather intelligence about the consumption of content. By offering a video white paper, you’ll know when it was downloaded, when it was viewed, how much of it was viewed, if it was abandoned and where it was abandoned. And you’ll be able to use those metrics to improve your process and gain a better understanding of your prospects.
Taking a video marketing approach to creating white papers also means it will be easier for you to capture the content you need for your white paper. Your subject matter expert can be prepared in advance by reviewing questions you provide. That also ensures that your expert covers the point you’ve determined to be the most important ones to convey to a prospect. Your expert’s knowledge will be clearly articulated to the prospect and the process of capturing the information will be much easier and more efficient for all involved.
Finally, as with all video marketing content, you can convert the video white paper to a print version, which will allow you to get an SEO lift on your website and give you another medium for presenting your information.
Taking a video marketing approach to presenting your information in a white paper can be very effective.
Writing Copy for Sales Lead Generation
March 4th, 2010Clients often ask about the process of avatar scriptwriting. There are three components:
1. The sales message in the script must connect with the target prospect.
2. The avatar is a visual presentation so the script is designed with an “eye” towards images and animation that reinforce the sales message.
3. It must be well written.
Although it sometimes seems our world has been reduced to text messaging shorthand, effective business writing continues to be a valuable skill. If you are looking to become a better communicator, I recommend you pick up a copy of The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E.B. White. It is the definitive road map and guide to effective writing. I keep a well worn copy on my desk.
Don Draper needs a job
February 3rd, 2010Fans of the TV show Mad Men know that Don Draper is the quintessential ad man. He is cool, creative and smart.
The show takes place in the 1960′s and there are many vestiges of an era long passed:
- The characters all smoke – in their offices
- Drinking is encouraged and condoned during office hours
- The women in the office are objectified
So office life has changed dramatically since the 60′s. But what about Don Draper’s job? Back then he was focused on big ad placements and media buys.
Today, the spend in the traditional media outlets has plummeted as companies look to market digitally.
Unless Don adjusts, he’s a dinosaur.
Referrals
January 26th, 2010Last night I received a call from Eddie. Eddie mentioned my friend Mike said I might be interested in seeing a presentation for his product. He then gave me a little pitch and closed for the meeting.
Cold calling is a tough business in any economy. It is difficult to get a “live” voice on the other end of the phone and when you do -you have less than a 20 % chance of getting your meeting.
How do you improve your odds? Through referrals. C-Level Executives are three times as likely to take a meeting with someone referred by a colleague or business associate.
Working influencer channels can pay big dividends
B2B Selling in a Necessity Based Economy
January 21st, 2010Most Sales Executives I speak with believe once the economy turns around, their revenue numbers will be once again achievable. Budgets will be funded…people will start buying and happy days will be here again.
The economy is not a like a light switch that is either on or off. Economic downturns like the one we recently experienced have broader consequences. And as conditions improve over the next 12 – 18 months, it is critical for Sales Executives to recognize what has changed and adjust their strategies and approaches accordingly.
We are now in a necessity based economy and this will not change anytime soon. What is a necessity-based economy? For your prospect this means the pain of not having your products and services must override the pain of paying you for them.
Most companies have cut staff, slashed their budgets to bone and improved the productivity of their remaining employees. Surviving the trauma of the recession, they will not be quick to staff up, spend and return to their old ways.
Here are some things to consider as you plan your go forward strategy:
1. To be better salespeople your Reps must become better businesspeople. In this new environment, your prospect will expect no less.
2. Differentiation is critical to success. Your prospects will always opt for the low cost solution if they see no difference.
3. Know when to walk away. Sales Reps must fully appreciate the opportunity cost of pursuing business they are not likely to win.
Social Media Ad Spend
January 13th, 2010Take a look at this link:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=119518
No surprise Facebook has surpassed MySpace (once my kids stopped using MySpace a few years ago I knew it was over).
The headline here is Facebook will account for 1/4 of all the spend in this category.
Is a Website Visitor a Lead?
January 12th, 2010Over the weekend I spoke with a friend who is marketing a sports related product. We were throwing ideas back and forth when I asked him how many website visitors he gets each month. He said about 6,000. I then asked how many email addresses he harvests from those visits. He said none.
One of the biggest opportunities most companies miss is converting website visitors into leads. Your visitors have some interest – that’s why they are coming to your site. The goal then is to capture their credentials through offers.
Here’s why:
1. You’ll be able to execute one to one marketing to these visitors
2. You’ll organically build your prospect list
3. You’ll learn what offers / messages are resonating with your prospects
It is the biggest bang for your marketing buck. Do it.
B2B Accelerator Campaigns
January 11th, 2010The whole premise of lead nurturing campaigns rests in the concept that all prospects are not ready for “buy now” sales messages.
This does not mean you have to be passive in your approach. Accelerator campaigns attempt to move prospects along in your process based on their previously identified behavior. By recognizing and analyzing their behavior on your website, the frequency of visits, and the information they have downloaded – for example – you can (and should) adjust your nurturing approach. For our clients this often means we begin one to one marketing.
Prospect digital behavior is telling us something. We need to listen.
Ad spending shift for B2B Marketers
December 16th, 2009Interesting report from research firm Outsell:
$60 billion moving from traditional advertising – print and TV ads – and moving to the web. Much of that investment is going into the company website.
The Lost Art of the Business Conversation
December 9th, 2009Your company has the latest eMarketing technology and a formal nurture-marketing program in place. You notice a spike in activity with a prospect you’ve been digitally nurturing for several months. They spend 15 minutes on your website and download an ROI calculator you’ve made available.
Clearly it is time for a Sales Rep to call.
Your marketing department passes the lead to your Sales Rep and the next day he makes the call. He’s able to get through to the prospect and asks the normal qualifying questions about needs, budget and timeframe. He quickly learns the prospect does not have a budget or timeframe established. The Rep tosses the lead aside and moves on to the next prospect.
A year later your primary competitor issues a press release announcing a new customer – this prospect.
What happened?
The hard truth is this situation is occurring more frequently than ever before. Studies show more than half of the leads discarded by Sales Reps convert for someone within 24 months. So —- what can you do to ensure you are not missing out on these real revenue opportunities?
Most sales reps are proficient at prospect qualification. They can establish budget, timeframe and need and articulate their value proposition to qualified buyers. However, in our increasingly competitive environment, prospects are looking for more from the Sales Rep. They already educated themselves – in some cases extensively – prior to talking to the Rep. Therefore, when this first conversation takes place, the buyer wants the Rep to understand their situation and offer insight into helping them solve their business challenges. If the prospect receives no value from the dialogue with the Rep, they will quickly disengage and disappear.
Great closing skills are a quality we look for in Salespeople. Equally important is the ability to engage prospects in intelligent business conversations that help build a relationship and fosters continued engagement.
Teaching your Reps these skills will help you minimize those missed opportunities.
